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Zaka Ashraf had said that the Board had sought permission from the ICC for Kamran’s selection. -File photo

LAHORE: The International Cricket Council (ICC) has clarified that Test wicket-keeper/batsman Kamran Akmal was always eligible for selection in the Pakistan team, adding they did not need to issue any clearance for the player’s inclusion in the national squad.

Earlier, PCB chairman Zaka Ashraf had said that the Board had sought permission from the ICC for Kamran’s selection.

According to Zaka, the selectors were given a go-ahead to select Kamran after getting nod from the ICC.

However, a report in the British press quoted the head of media and communications of the ICC, Colin Gibson, as saying that selection of players for the Pakistan team is the sole and exclusive responsibility of the PCB.

“The ICC has not issued any form of clearance to the PCB for the selection of any of its players and like all others who are not suspended for any reason from participating, [Kamran] Akmal remains eligible for selection for the Pakistan national team should Pakistan decide to select him,” Gibson said.

Kamran was sidelined by the selectors after his name surfaced during the spot-fixing trial in London last year prompting suspicions about his links with bookmaker Mazhar Majeed.

The veteran glovesman was though recalled by the national selectors for the upcoming Twenty20 assignments after he made a final appearance before the PCB integrity committee.

When contacted, a PCB official said unnecessary controversies were being created out of the Kamran issue.

“What the chairman [Zaka] meant was that as is the practice the PCB made some inquiries from the ICC about Kamran but it does not need to seek clearance from anyone for his selection,” he remarked.

Kamran on his part has constantly claimed his innocence, insisting he has no links with bookmakers.—Agencies

Comments (27) Closed

Perhaps PCB chief, Zaka Ashraf meant once Kamran Akmal is cleared by Pakistani supporter he will be considered again. However, I wonder if Pakistani supporters really cleared him?

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FRM CFA Guy

Jul 30, 2012 09:02am

ICC may have cleared him but not the Pakistani nation. We have plenty of talent who could perform better than the Akmal brother......stop red tappism!!

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KhurraM Babar

Jul 30, 2012 03:52pm

exactly ... here is the cheat of the century but ICC doesnt mind this . they know he will bring no glory rather then will bring shame to our side . They had problem with brilliance of Asif Amir and Salman . Akmal and family can carry on with there fixing and bad game .

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Indusonian

Jul 29, 2012 10:35pm

Anyone who has inflicted damage with evidence to Pakistan is guaranteed to represent Pakistan e.g., Misbah, Malik, and this keeper and in the past Waseem Akram, what a pity.

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Azam Chowdhry

Jul 30, 2012 01:36pm

Kamran should have been in the team a lot earlier. He will make a lot of difference. Good Keep and a an excellent batsman.

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Moosa Pervez

Jul 30, 2012 01:09pm

His performance in World Cup was enough to keep him out of the team for ever. How the PCB bosses are blind or they are also getting some share of his Mazhar Majeed mafia earnings through these brothers.

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Faraz Khan

Jul 29, 2012 09:32am

This is favoritism at its best. How can PCB select a wicketkeeper who has dropped more catches
in tests and one dayers then held, I think he never deserved to be in the team based on
his keeping skills, yes he is a better batsman then a keeper, but compared to his antics behind
the stumps I look like Mike Boucher. It seems like PCB is trying its best to bestow this job to Akmal
family, Pakistani fielders, well some of them, are butter fingers and the keeper will be buttergloves.

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Aslam

Jul 29, 2012 10:10am

As always, there are no surprises. It just proves how PCB shoots itself in the foot !!
It seeks decisions from ICC when they are not required and when ICC issues them their decision (such as make the PCB a democratic institution independent of government's influence) it refuses to follow it!!!!!!
What a disgrace!

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Mr.T

Jul 29, 2012 11:23am

of course why would they object, they want black sheep to be in Pakistan cricket team, So in future they will again break the team (if) we try to rise again.

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Kumar

Jul 29, 2012 05:07pm

Curious case of Kamran boggles me. He may be influential in Pakistan but how he eludes ICC ? "That" Sydney test, the whole world saw what happened but still ICC fails to take action???

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Syed

Jul 29, 2012 04:45pm

Well given the performance of the other keepers who were tried as a replacement in T20 and ODI's, I am very disappointed that there hasn't been any solid keeper who has stood out. They couldn't keep nor bat, so probably PCP is thinking that for the shorter format at least Kamran can bat quickly, so can't get any worse. Not that I follow Pakistan's domestic cricket, but isn't there one good keeper in our country who can bat too? For tests I think Adnan hasn't done a bad job, but for the shorter format we need a good glovesman who can score quickly.

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Shehzad Ghani

Jul 29, 2012 02:07pm

I wonder why ICC always issues a statement in favor of K. Akmal so quickly? It is always there to clear him and issue statements of support for him?
Just like the main culprit in fixing saga, S. Butt got a very light punishment compared to the other two involved. What's up with ICC ?

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Kumar

Jul 30, 2012 02:00am

Kamran is an awesome cricketer, a brilliant keeper who only needed to shed some weight according to Rashid Latif and is an attacking opener, so what else you want. Perfect. (I bet this comment would be published as this is full of praises)

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Imran

Jul 30, 2012 03:05am

200% correct.

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z i khan

Jul 30, 2012 02:59am

we need to get rid of all these Akmal brothers , they have serious questions on their performance...

Another Grave mistake: Kamran Akmal is a shady character with no character or class. It's mind boggling how manipulative and corrupt individuals slithered back in Pakistan colors. Shame on Kamran and PCB!

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Pakistan Classified

Jul 30, 2012 06:34am

Well i would suggest we need Akmal behind the Stumps and As a Batsman, till we find his replacements, He needs a chance thats what PCB is providing him with, so kindly take it Positively and Get behind him.

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CricketLover

Jul 30, 2012 06:27pm

I just wonder whose daughter among the big shots of PCB is married to Kamran. I will not include him in my street tape ball match after seeing his keeping abilities at the international level....bunch of jokers running PCB...

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asfi

Jul 30, 2012 07:15pm

If Kamran has made his place in the team, I can assure you the team has gone to dogs again

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Sabbir

Jul 30, 2012 07:43pm

once again, you just proved how things can be generalized. I don't want to go as far as labelling someone as racist, but what is that got to do with Akmal brothers? Adnan Akmal was superb behind the stumps and his innings in 2nd innings was very brave and match-saving one ... Be realistic and purposeful buddy

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navi

Jul 30, 2012 08:22pm

no more cricket for me after news on this looser comeback; this clearly shows how corrupt and useless every department is. If PCB cant find better WK than Akmal than please have one from India.. I would love to have Indian WKeeper than this looser...
cheers

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Azher

Jul 30, 2012 10:27pm

are you married to kamran or any other akmal or r u really kamran with fake name :)

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Omar

Jul 30, 2012 11:26pm

Zia....are u daft or something??? What Mr T has indicated is that when the time comes for a "big" tournament or if the Pak team beats the "masters" of cricket, namely Eng/AUS/IND in their own backyard, the ICC will then manipulate the PCB that their players are corrupt and are again involved in fixing, etc.

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Imran

Jul 30, 2012 11:53pm

Sabbir, please be positive. Remember Umer Akmal faking his back injury when Kamran Akmal was dropped (Australia Tour), the child mentality of "Agar mere bhai ko nahi kilaooge tou main bhi nahi khelonga". Does this happen any where in the world. Kamran Akmal should be dropped permanently, look at his performance at Australia tour, its such a shame (on Kamran Akmal) that inspite of knowning that he dropped so many catches and missing run outs he was justifying that these things happen.

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Iftikhar Ali Khan

Jul 31, 2012 02:58am

Kamran Akmal to be included as a batsman.

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Siddiqi

Aug 02, 2012 04:20am

haha. So many comments against Akmals are mainly because they are from one city.
Kamran is still the best choice for T20s and may be even for ODIs. PCB have tried all the other options in his absence and no one seems to able to fill in the role of Wicket keeper batsman in short format. For tests Adnan is doing a fine job. Umar Akmal is the most talented young batsman in Pakistan.
How many gilchrist or bradman we have in our domestic circuit that we are so critical with these 3 brothers?